The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1887-05-05

further bloodshcd. Ridgely observ-
ed the greatest caution during this
time, staying indoors, and going
nowhere except upon the most pressN
ing and important matters of busis
ness. On Mach % Ridsely found it
necessary to go to the farm of q
neighbor about two miles distant.
He left home about o'clock p NJ.
but when he had completed his bus
mess it was after sundown-in fact,
growing dusk. llo then mounted
bis horse and started for home, rid
ing a medium gait. When a little
more than halfway home, aud while
passing through strip of woods,
suddenly there sounded tho report
Of two guns from behind trees, and
at The reports Ridge!y's horse fell
dad under him, Rdgoly, who, as the
sequel proved was himself uuhurt,
falling upon the opposit eide Of hi
horse from that whence the firing
occurred. He did not move or make
any noise, and The would be ussas-
sins, evidently thinking that they had
killed him, left cover aud started
presumably, to take view Of tho
corpse. The corpse, however. Prov
au exceedingly lively one, and when
the two men, proved TO DO the two
Murphys, were within eight or ton
feet the corpse suddenly spluug TO
its feet, with six shooter in either
hand, and began firing upon them.
They were taken 80 completely by
surprise that Ridgely thinks they
made no effort or tbought OF return
ing his fire, and quicker than ittakes
to tell it they bad both bitten the
dust and thoir spirits departed to
the happy hunting-grounds TO join
tho two ferrymen who had previous.
ly taken passogs'at Ridgely's hands
Ridgely kept himself confined
closely to bis own promises, not 60
ing off his farm on any occasion, and
it is but fair TO presume that the
Murphy party, growing impatient,
and perhaps worn ont with the siege,
thought to execute their purpose by
strategem. With this object in view,
at o'clock en- Friday nA.ornin,3 tLel
O disturbance, well knowing that
Ridgcly's great care for bis horses
would, in all probability, cause him
to come out in person TO ascertain
what was wrong. Tho ruse operated
exactly rs the Murphys intended it
should act. Mr. Ridgely was Orous-
ed from his slumbers BY tho noise in
the stable yard, and did Just as any
other sensible farmer would DO un-
der like circumstances. He got into
his boots md trousers rs quickly as
possible, and, taking pair OF rcyol-
vers, tho same 1ircalible weapons
he had used on previous occasions,
and which, obeying the dictates of
common sense, he bad kept withM
convenient reach ever since his trou-
bio with tho Muryhys began, be
started for the barn lie passed the
door of q room in which courle of
his hired men wero sleeping, and
called TO them to get up and follow
him quickly. Mr. Ridgely passed on
ont the door and across the house
yard to the gate opening into the
barn lot Here be paused a moment
and listened. All was quiet, aud no
animated object was in sight. He
entered the barnyard and was walks
ing at an ordinary gait toward the
big barn when suddenly a human
form sprang up from behind wag-
on and fired at him.
The bullet passed through his hat,
and Ridgley, though unhurt, dropped
to his knees, and less time than it re
quires for telling il his trusty revolver
1t was too dark to take
aim, or even to discern plainly what
or who ho was shooting at. Mr..
Ridgly's shot sped well, as was owl
denced by the yell and oath which
answered 1t as the man by tho wagon
dropped. Mr.. Ridgely says he did not
think OF tho Nurphys until the first
shot was fired; then ho realized the
situation, and took itfor granted that
there was to be desperate conflict.
was standing near the wagon
when n man behind the wogon fred
at him. Immediately after the shoot
ing Ridgely sprang to his feet and ran
toward the wagon, and had reached
1t when two men rose up, one on each
side Of tho inclined drive to the barn,
and started toward him. Both these
men opened fire OH Rdgoly, and he
The shooting in the dark
WAS necessarily wild but Mt tha third